


on the road again

by HamiltonTrashPanda



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Diners, Feel-good, Mortals not knowing wtf is going on but being genuinely nice, Theyre very sweet, Waiters & Waitresses, people being good, truck driver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27971882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamiltonTrashPanda/pseuds/HamiltonTrashPanda
Summary: On the road, many things can happen.A demigod walks into a diner bloody and bruised and passes out immeaditaly.And lucky for him, good people still exist
Relationships: Jason Grace & Percy Jackson & Piper McLean, Jason Grace/Piper McLean
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	on the road again

He’s been stopping here since he started working.

It’s always been the same, beginning to dilapidate chairs and tables, rusting metal, the smell of gas stong and heavy from the station next door. The same man smoking on the chair everyone who passes through come to know is his.

The place is homey though and the waitresses call everyone  _ hun’ _ and  _ sweetheart _ and tips are fat and fill their coffers well. Sandy likes to flirt over her cat-eye glasses, Mimi is a young widow, and Ten has always been one of the only guys on the team and kicks out anyone that looks at the staff wrong. There’s more but they come and go with the wind.

As he drives in he knows something is off. The wind is too strong, and he glances at the person in his passager seat. Their eyes are fixed on the leaves blowing around, and the absence of the smoker.

“Old Harvey ain’t smokin’ his pipe,” They say, and he glances at the empty spot where Harvey should be sitting. 

“It’s cold out, West he’s probably just in the dinner.” They huffed and glanced at the gas station.

“There are no cars in the station. I don’t like it, Carter, somethings off.” He frowned, understanding what they were saying, but not willing to admit it. 

“I’m hungry, let’s get some dinner and once we’re out of this place-” The engine made a noise, that Carter knew wasn’t good. He frowned. “Somethings up with the engine, I’m going to park then check it out.”

They sigh, “Guess were staying over tonight.”

He wants to tell them to stop being such a pessimist, but they both heard that engine. It’s busted and the nearest repair shop closes early every day. He doesn’t even check it once he steps out of the truck he just walks inside, his partner close behind. 

They step inside of the diner they know well, and it’s strangely empty. Mimi is at the front desk and she looks up at them when they enter. “Oh, hello!” She says in her cheery voice, but it rings with unease. 

“You good, Mimi?” West asks.

She pales and glances around before leaning closer, “Some kid showed up an hour ago and passed out at one of the tables. The only customer we have, and he’s already ruined a napkin.”

“How?” He asks.

“Kid was bleeding from some sort of cut. Ally cleaned it up, she’s training to be a nurse you know?” Mimi glances over her shoulder but turns back to them. “Sit anywhere you like. Y’all want your normal?”

He can’t help but smile, “That would be delicious. Thanks, Mimi.” She smiles at him, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“Probably shook her,” West whispers. “Poor girl can’t stand blood, not after Richie died.” He nods along and they sit at a booth near the window. A waitress drops off some water, and Carter looks for the kid.

He’s slouched at a booth in a corner, hood pulled over his head as he sleeps. Black hair sticks out from under it, and his tan skin is barely visible. His arms are crossed over his stomach as if he was protecting it.

Tamara, one of the oldest waitresses drops of the food, and Wests speaks, “The kid okay? And wheres old Harvey? He wasn’t at his chair earlier.”

Tamara shrugs, “The kids probably good. And old Harvey? Fell and broke his leg last week, been bed-bound ever since. The misses is trying to get him to stop smokin’ now that he’s under her care apparently, but we all know that ain’t gonna work. The man loves those things.” Her eyes narrow.

“Wonder he isn’t dead. Must be ninety by now.” 

They both nod and sip at their drinks and food, glancing at the kid again and again. “Wonder where he’s from. What his name is.” West says as they sip lightly at their tea.

Sandy picks up their plates, “You stayin’?”

Carter nods, “Truck’s bout to break down. We’re staying tonight.”

“Be careful at the motel, sweethearts, the new owner’s really pushy. Vile man.” She rolls her eyes and takes the plate. 

“Thanks, Sandy,” West says with a smile. “We might just stay in the truck then.”

“Oh hun,” says Tamara, overhearing the conversation. “Don’t kill your back like that.” 

They shrug, “We’ve done it before. We’ll be fine, but thanks anyway.”

They stayed and stayed, and slowly the place closed yet they weren’t kicked out. They were friends, and once the place was closed and people trickled home, the remaining ones popped out some cheap beer and they all sat outside in the warm summer air. 

Ten glances inside, beer in hand, “If he’s not up in an hour, I’m going to have to wake him up.”

Mimi glances at him, “I don’t think he has anywhere to stay.”

Ten gestures with his beer at the motel. Mimi rolls her eyes, “We all know that new owner Larry is a con. Kid’s got no money.”

“We’ll pay,” Carter says suddenly. They all glance at him, and Ten smiles.

“You’ve always been too nice, Carter.”

“The kid’s exhausted, obviously. Some kindness will take him a long way. And we have the money anyway.” West nods along.

Tamara glances back at the kid, “Wonder what his name is? Where he’s from.”

“He sounded like a New Yorker,” Ally says quietly from where she stands sipping lightly at her beer. “Wonder what he’s doing down here.”

“He’s a long way from home.”

They sit in silence for a little longer, the buzz of insects the only sound besides the sound of drinking. Then they see it, headlights in the distance, growing brighter with every second. And only minutes later, a car pulls into the lot, not quite parking properly.

Someone gets out quickly and runs up to the group. It’s a young woman, whose features Carter can’t see in the dark. She starts to talk immediately, “Did a young man, maybe six foot six, black hair and green eyes stop by here?”

The group exchanges a glance. “Yeah, he’s just inside sweetheart. Do you know him?’ Tamara says.

The woman nods, “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend’s cousin.” She turns over her shoulder and shouts something in a different language. They hear another door open and another person walks up. A young man, by the looks of it.

They talk quietly, and the man speaks. “Can I go inside and wake him up? I promise I won’t touch anything.”    
  


“Go ahead,” Ten says. “Doors unlocked.”

He thanks them and jogs inside. Carter doesn’t bother to look inside to see what’s happening because the young woman is speaking.

“Sorry about him. He was doing something for his dad, and we think he got caught up in something. We got a call earlier, he told us about this place and Jase and I drove down as fast as we could.”

“Where you from?” Carter asks, unable to help himself.

“We were in Oklahoma when we got the call. But Perce is from New York. Jase is from California, and that’s where I mainly live.”

Ten whistled, “You’re not close to home.”

She laughed, “No, we certainly are not.”

They all hear the door opening and in the light, Carter can see the young men. The black-haired guy,  _ Perce _ , is limping heavily and the blonde,  _ Jase _ , is helping him. They’re talking quietly under their breaths. 

The woman smiles, “You boys ready to go home?”

Perce smiles, and he speaks with a heavy Northern Accent. “Yeah, definitely. Thank you guys so much.” He looks at the staff, giving a sheepish grin. “Sorry for the hassle.”

“It’s no problem dear, you chose the right diner to stumble into bleeding.” Sandy jokes, eliciting laughter. 

“Only you, Perce. Only you.” Jase teases.

“Oh shut your trap Grace.”

“Or what?”

“Jason get Percy into the car.” The woman cuts in.

“Yes ma’am.”

The two walk off and their snickers carry in the night air. She watches them go, before turning back to them. “I cannot tell you how much this means to us. We were so scared that he was going to be out in the cold when we got here, so thank you for keeping him safe.”

“It’s no problem, Miss…”

“Piper, my names Piper,” She says with a smile. 

“Well Piper, I’m glad we could help. Call us when y’all get home safe, okay?” Tamara says.

Piper nods. “Thank you, so so much.” And then she turns and runs back to her car. Two minutes late the car leaves, the headlights dying in the distance. 

* * *

Carter and West pulled into the parking lot three months later, and everything was the same yet different.

Harvey was smoking his pipe, watching the truck pull up with his hawk eyes, and there’s a car in almost every space. The diner is hopping and there are the same familiar faces. They sit at the same booth, and from there they see the new things.

The chairs were newer and the plates were shinning. The windows are crystal clear, and Mimi is smiling like there’s no tomorrow. She’s the one who drops off their food, the usual, and West asks what’s up.

“We got an anonymous tip about a week after that guy stopped by. All it had was a thank you written on it, and it was  _ massive _ . We’ve been doing great ever since.”

“Why such a big smile though, Mimi?” Carter asks.

“I met a girl. She’s my fiance now, though,” And Mimi holds up her hand on which the ring glitters. Carter and West congratulate the girl whose face had so long been downcast and troubled from mourning.

She looks like a new breath has been put into her. This whole town does. The change is scary and new, but somehow, with the sun casting the world into gold, it feels like this was what was meant to happen all along.

Carter sips his beer and remembers the night, remembers a broken-down truck. The headlights that came and went and the woman and her boyfriend. He remembers the leaves and the warm summer air, yet he never realises what that night had truly brought.

A blessing.


End file.
